The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1887-03-10

Rome through IL IN 7V.tt4Nl 4tstlolHfV
his fight with the Ca W. sssas2SSStS
position taken by Car #D~W w
dinal Gibbons, they CARDINAL GIBBONS
say, will settle the whole matter lie is an
especial favorite with the Pope, and his ad-
vice as to the treatment of any matter IN
which the United States is concerned Will,
it, is declared, be taken as it is given
In addition, Bishop Keane, of Richmond,
and Bishop Ireland, Of St Paul, VINO are
both friendly to the knights, and VINO are
recognized at Rome as representing Inc
more progressive element IN the American
hierarchy, are with Cardinal Gibbons TO
support him in the position which he taxes.
Cardinal Gibbons is in a position to speak
more intelligently of the principles OF the
knights than any other churchman. Before
leaving for Rome he carefully examined the
manual of the order. He also held long
conference with Master Workman Pow
DERBY, whom he regards as devout ana
and conservative Catholic. His present
position is the result Of his investigation
II is said in clerical circles that the knights
had powerful enemies within the Natlcah.
MANY of the Cardinals thought the order TO
be of a character similar to the secret so
cieties Of Italy and SPAN, and opposed 1t
for that reason.
The following IS the Cardinals letter to
the Propaganda:
To His Eminence, Cardinal Smeoni, Project OF
the Holy Congre CATION OFF the Propaganda;
YOUR EMINENCR-In submitting to the Holy
See the conclusions which, after several months
OF observation and deep reflection, seem TO me
TO sum up the question OF the association OF lhe
Knights OF Labor, 1 am strongly convinced OF
the vast Importance Of this q9es n Of S %n s
cial problem of our day. and especially OF our
country. In judging this question have taken
great care to use as my constant guide the spirit
OF the encyclicals in which our Holy Father,
Pope Leo Kill, has SO admirably exposed the
dangers of our time and their remedies, and has
explained the principles by which we shan ne
guided in distinguishing the associations con
demned by the Holy See. such, also were the
guides OF the third Plenary Council OF baltimore
In its teachings about the principle 70 be iol,
lowed and the dangers TO be avoided by the
faithful in the formation OF associations toward
which the spirit Of our popular institutions SO
strongly impels. Considering the ialal cohse'
auences that might result through an error in
the treatment of the organizations, which often
count their numbers by thousands and hundreds
OF thousands the council wisely ordered that
when an association has spread into several
dioceses, no single Bishop of those dioceses may
condemn it. but must refer the case to the per.
manent commission OF oil the Arenblsnops OF
the United States, who in their turn are not
authorized to issue condemnation, unless their
decision is unanimous, and In default oil sueh
unanimity only the Holy See itself can impose
such a condemnation so that error ana CON
fusion in ecclesiastical discipline can be avoided.
The commission of Archbishops met toward
the end of the month of October last TO espe-
cially consider the association OF the knights
OfsLabor. We were not led to hold TINS meet
ing by any request on the part OF the Bishops.
for none OF them did demand it, and II must be
added that OF all the Bishops only two or three
were known to desire the condemnation. But
the importance of the question in itself and in
the estimation OF the Holy See, made us ex-
anime it with greatest care. After our discus
sion. the results OF which have already been
communicated to the Holy Congregation OF the
Propaganda, only two out OF twelve OF the
Archbishops voted for the condemnotion-that
is to say, the Archbishop OF st. Louis and the
Archbishop of Santa Fe who followed suit-for
reasons which in no way persuaded the others
either by the Justice or prudence OF such CON
domination. In the considerations which follow
wish to give in detail the reasons which de-
termined the vote OF the great majority OF the
commission, the truth and force of which do not
seem TO me less powerful to-day. At the same
time will try TO do Justice 10 the arguments
advanced by the opposition party.
First-Although there may be found in the
constitution. the bylaws and official declaration
of the Knights OF Labor, certain assertions or
regulations which we might not approve, we
have not found therein the elements which the
Holy See so clearly designates as condemna-
tory, and the formula OF their organization CON
tains neither oath nor obligation which pre-
cludes those who do not belong to it, oreyen
their enemies, from becoming acquainted
with their affairs Catholics are not forbidden
TO divulge everything to competent ecclesiastl-
cal authorities even outside of the confessional.
This has been especially explained TO us by theii
officers, no promise OF blind obedience is re
quired. The objects OF the association and its
rules are well and distinctly established, and
the obligations of obedience do not trespass
their limits. Not only their object and their
rules are not hostile to religion or the church,
but the very contrary. The third Plenlry Coun-
Gil forbids that we should condemn any associa-
ton without giving Its officers or representa-
tives a hearing. lCoryphees vel sociis prieci-
puts, No. 254). Their Master Workman, IN send
~ hair ton fpE
sion TO say that he processes his religion faith
fully and receives the sacraments regularly;
that he belongs TO no Masonic association or 10
any other otherwise condemned by the church;
that he knows OF nothing in the society of
the Knights OF Labor contrary to regulation
of the church, and with filial submission
he begs the pastors OF the church to exam
inc all the details Of their organization, and
says II they find therein anything reprehensible
to point them out and he will faithfully promise
to have the proper notifications made. AS
suredly this does not look like hostility toward
the authority OF the church, but, on the contra
~, perfectly laudably spirit
After their convention in Richmond last year
many OF their most jealous officers and Catho
lie members made the same declarations re-
garding their sentiments. As for the proceed
ings OF the convention themselves (Which we
expect soon TO receivel we can no more find
therein any hostility TO the church or TO the laws
OF the land. Not only their constitution and
regulations contain nothing OF the sort, but the
heads OF our civil authorities treat them and the
cause they represent with the greatest respect.
The President of the United States told me
personally, a month ago, that he had then un-
der consideration law tending to remedy GER
tain social grievances, and that he had just had
conference with Mr.. Powderly, the General
Master Workman OF the Knights OF Labor, on
the subject. The Congress OF the United
States, following the advice Of the President is
now considering measures leading TO ameorate
the condition OF the working class the founda-
ton for many OF whose complaints is openly
acknowledged. And the political parties, far
from looking upon them as enemies Of the coun-
try, vie with each other to obtain for them the
rights they so clearly entitled to, for 1t is a
fact well known that the poor toilers have no
inclination 10 resist or break the laws OF the
land, il but simply 70 obtain equitable iegisia-
tion by constitutional and legitimate means.
And those considerations, which show that the
organization docs not contain any Of the ele-
ments which the Holy See condemns, bring us
face to face with the evils the society is com
batting and the real nature Of the conflict. There
exist In our country, as in all others, social
grievances which are grave and menacing. pub
lie injustices which alike require firm resist
ance and legal remedies, all OF which none
would gainsay, and the truth Of which has al
ready been admitted by Congress and the Fresi-
dent OF the United States. 49,
Without entering into the painful details OF
those wrongs-the present occasion not requir-
ING it--it win suffice 10 mention the fact mat